Big East expert picks: 2026-27 projected order of finish, preseason predictions, top players to watch
Welcome to the fifth and final men's basketball power-conference preview for the 2026-27 season here at CBSSports.com. If you'd like to see our predictions for the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC, just tap those links and enjoy the tour. This is only the start; we've got so much more preview content to come in the three weeks between now and the start of the season.
Today we're diving deep into the only basketball-first high-major league in college hoops. I recently wrote about what this year means for the league in a year of transition, including a new commissioner. The Big East could use an injection of some new blood. It would be beneficial for a team or two to overshoot expectations and upset the apple cart, you know?
While Rick Pitino's renaissance has been terrific for the Big East's national marketability the past two years — St. John's is the reigning two-time regular-season and tournament champions; no other school has ever done that in the Big East — the league would profit from another team rising up into the Top 25 on a regular basis and threatening the Johnnies and Huskies. Will we see it in 2026-27, or will the Big East again play out as a league with Connecticut and St. John's separating themselves from the rest of the conference? Here's a look at what to know before Villanova tips off the college basketball season on Nov. 1 in Rome against Notre Dame.
CBS Sports Big East Preseason Player of the Year
Silas Demary Jr. | PG | UConn
Best player on what's expected to be the best team in the conference. A year ago, Demary was tagged as one of the 20 most important transfers in the country. Then he outplayed that high expectation by making our five-man All Transfer Team at season's end for a 34-win Huskies squad that made the national title game. UConn needed an upgrade in physicality, confidence and playmaking at the point; Demary was ready from the jump. He starred in his role, averaging 10.1 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals. There's a good batch of talent around him again this season, but UConn's chances center on Demary as the head of the snake. He could be just as important and successful for Dan Hurley's program as Tristen Newton was in 2023-24, when Newton modestly guided the Huskies to a second straight national title.
CBS Sports Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year
Colben Landrew | SF | UConn
Similar to the past few seasons, the Big East is not expected to be a league that sees an inrush of star power amongst its freshmen. But there will be a name or three to emerge, and our writers believe UConn will have the best of the newbie bunch. Landrew is a 6-6 tweener forward from McComb, Mississippi, who ranked 26th in the class of 2026. He'll come off the bench for Hurley and be a bruiser-type; he also played football in high school before making the full-time switch to hoops.
Four more players to watch
Nigel James Jr. | PG | Marquette
The league's freshman of the year a season ago, James averaged 16.4 points, 4.9 assists, 3.4 boards and 2.0 steals, emerging as one of the few reasons for optimism in what was a brutal down year at MU. James is said to have a lot of Kam Jones and Tyler Kolek in his approach to the game. If that's the case, he should be able to spearhead a good Marquette roster back into the NCAA Tournament. James' big jump needs to come at the foul line, where he shot 69.2% last season.
Tounde Yessoufou | SF | St. John's
The 6-5 sophomore power wing averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.6 assists at Baylor. He could be in the NBA right now if he wanted, but returning for one of the best salaries in the Big East with a chance to learn from Pitino and be a star at St. John's was understandably too good to pass up. We expect him to up his game a notch and turn into a top-20 draft pick next June.
Braylon Mullins | SG | UConn
Mullins (12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg) also gave some consideration to the draft, but he's got an opportunity to capitalize in multiple ways after cashing one of the most famous shots in NCAA Tournament history. The sophomore wing will be tasked with a lot more this season, and how he handles his increased role after helping author one of the most exhilarating moments in all of American sports in 2026 will be worth monitoring.
Tyler Perkins | PG | Villanova
The 6-4 senior guard will need to be Villanova's alpha in order to improve off last season's bounce-back year, which had the Wildcats back wearing home whites in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Perkins (13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg) has the ball-handling and pick-and-roll IQ to comfortably keep Nova aloft as a top-five team in the Big East. Can he be the sleeper pick for POY and actually get Nova back to the top of the conference?
Big East predicted order of finish
1. UConn
Can UConn get to four Final Fours in a five-year span? It's plausible so long as Dan Hurley is running the show, though we'll note that trusted lieutenants Luke Murray (now the coach at Boston College) and Tom Moore (retirement) are no longer walking the halls in Storrs. Still, UConn is 126-28 the past four seasons with an 18-2 record in the NCAA tourney. So the "can Dan do it again?" storyline will be there so long as UConn's in the mix for a top-three NCAA seed. You read above on Demary and Mullins. Then there's Na'jai Hines, who got off to a nice, if quiet, start as a freshman at Seton Hall. This 5-man might be as impactful defensively as Donovan Clingan was. He's the low-post force that gives the Huskies credence as a preseason top-five team in the country.
Hines and former Duke forward Nik Khamenia are the transfers who will start on Day 1 and be frontcourt anchors. Khamenia left Duke because he was looking for a different role with more offensive opportunities. He's got the potential to be a very nice fit. A familiar name back in the mix is wing Jayden Ross, who has patiently waited for his time. I think it arrives this year with a leadership role attached. Solo Ball is redshirting due to injury, so the Huskies are thinner than desired, but with Landrew coming off the bench and Stanford center Oskar Giltay backing up Hines, this is still — on paper — the safest pick to win the league heading into November.
2. St. John's
Rick Pitino has coached more than 1,500 games in his career across five decades ... and for the first time in his life, he's less than a month out from the start of a season and doesn't know if more than 20% of his roster will be able to play. It's bonkers. But Pitino opted into the courtship of Keyshawn Hall, Reed Bailey, Quinn Ellis and Babacar Sane — four players whose fates await the word from judges in the weeks/months to come — and so here we are. Our guess is it's unlikely all four get eligible, but if they do, then St. John's is borderline top-10 material overall and eye-to-eye with Connecticut.
As is, there's still a lot to be excited about in Queens. Right before the withdrawal deadline, former Baylor Bear Tounde Yessoufou committed to St. John's, giving the Red Storm one of the most talented sophomores in the sport. He'll team up with returnees Ian Jackson in the backcourt and 6-11 Ruben Prey as a stretch big. The forecast would be better had Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman not gone down for the year in the summer with a torn achilles, but the Johnnies still have a ton of hope if Ellis, 23, clears the NCAA's eligibility concerns (over how much money he received prior to enrolling in college). The international takeover in Queens is even more pronounced than at places like Illinois. St. John's has or is trying to roster players whose home countries include Senegal, Sweden, Hungary, Portugal, Serbia, Nigeria and Greece.
3. Villanova
As badly as Villanova fans wanted to see the program continue to sustain itself under Kyle Neptune, last year's immediate turnaround under Kevin Willard (No. 8 seed, 24-9) was proof of why the Neptune era couldn't last longer than three seasons. Now Nova's back into the space where it's projected top-three in the conference, thanks to preseason First-Teamer Tyler Perkins coming back, in addition to Matt Hodge (whose season-ending injury in February torpedoed VU's hopes come March). Gone are Duke Brennan, Bryce Lindsay, Acaden Lewis and Devin Askew, who combined to put up 40-plus points per night, leaving a lot of opportunity for a qualify transfer class led by two preseason all-league notables.
The first is PF Kwame Evans Jr. (via Oregon), who could be the guy to connect Villanova's defensive prowess. Another guy with big expectations is Devin Royal (wing, Ohio State), who will start at the 3 and be a veteran glue guy. We think former UIC point guard Elijah Crawford is the one who determines whether Villanova is second/third or fourth/fifth in the league. He can ball out, but how does the jump in league suit him? Two other transfers in the mix, both of whom who averaged 16-plus points last season and might pop as double-digit scorers, are former Cornell guard Jake Fiegen and former St. Bonaventure point Daryl Simmons II. Finally, Italian center Luigi Suigo flirted with the NBA Draft, but he's just beginning to understand how to play at an elevated level, so his outlook is interesting — but no guarantee on production in the first couple of months.
4. Marquette
Marquette is coming off a god-awful 12-20 campaign that had to be Shaka Smart's worst nightmare, professionally speaking. So, do the Golden Eagles bounce back into the top four of the league this season? That's one of the biggest plot points of the Big East. We, as you can see, expect that to happen. And we think it will happen because MU might have the most valuable player in the conference in sophomore point guard Nigel James Jr. (who you can read more about above). Despite the bad '25-26 go of things, Smart has a loyal culture in Milwaukee. James should shine alongside fellow sophomore Adrien Stevens, who hopes to hit 3s at a 40% clip this season.
The Golden Eagles have nine back from last season, meaning there's more year-over-year consistency here than anywhere else in the Big East (and just about anywhere else in college basketball). Royce Parham (12.5 ppg), Stevens (7.9 ppg) and Damarius Owens (4.8 ppg) are the most notable guys back. But the portal certainly did giveth: Sananada Fru, a stretch 5 who cost a pretty penny, is the key incoming transfer and possibly the guy who can get MU into that top four by season's end. The other transfer is Nolan Minessale, a muscle-bound 3-man from St. Thomas who scored nearly 20/game in the Summit League.
5. Providence
Of the three schools with new coaches, Providence gets the biggest benefit of the doubt in Year 1. Bryan Hodgson quickly proved he had the goods to win immediately at Arkansas State and USF, which is what led him up the East Coast to replace Kim English at PC. Hodgson speaks bluntly, just like his former boss Nate Oats, and wants to represent the PCBC mindset. With eight new guys in the fold, the Friars feel every bit the wild card of the 2026-27 Big East. Dink Pate (who's never played in college but did play for the Westchester Knicks G League franchise) would be a boon to this roster, but sources indicated to CBS Sports in the past week that his eligibility case is unlikely to win out.
That in mind, who's going to be the standout Friar over the next five months? We think Miles Byrd is the one. The former San Diego State Aztec arrives via a cross-country flight as a switchable and ultra-durable wing who will be the defensive spirit of this team. He's also likely to jump from 10 points/game to 13 or 14. He'll be set up by Malik Mack, the starting point guard who has familiarity in the league after a couple of years at Georgetown. Those two were welcomed in by Ryan Mela, a Friars holdover from the English era who will start at the wing and probably be good for 10-plus points per game. Six-foot-11 transfer Arrinten Page is expected to start at center. One more name giving PC viability heading into the season is Devin Vanterpool, a lead guard who averaged almost 16 points last season at FAU.
6. Creighton
When Alan Huss left High Point after two seasons, an NCAA Tournament appearance and nearly 60 wins, he did so with the promise he would soon take over at Creighton. He waited all of one season, and now that decision has led to one of the best retention situations in the Big East. Jackson McAndrew, Jasen Green, Austin Swartz, Isaac Traudt and Hudson Greer are all back after combining to score about 39 points per night with the Jays. McAndrew dealt with an injury and barely played last season, so there's a good shot that Creighton's first year under Huss will be markedly better than its last one under Greg McDermott, which ended with a 16-18 thud. The transfer who should probably pop is a big that Bluejays fans will have a passing familiarity with. Oswin Erhunmwunse played the past two seasons as a defensive 5-min at Providence. His role will likely lead to a stronger defensive through line with this team. McAndrew, Green and Erhunmwunse pose such a positive threat for Creighton at both ends, it's easy to see the Big East being a six-bid league if our projection turns up true.
7. Xavier
The Musketeers are in their second season under Richard Pitino, but don't bring a lot back from last season's 15-win team that wound up last in the Big East (strange to see Xavier ever finish last). The primary returnee is 6-10 4-man Jovan Milicevic, who ranks among the most underrated players in the conference. Xavier's outlook as an NCAA Tournament team seems to hinge on a five-in-five case: Filip Borovicanin is trying to get another year. He was good for 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds per game and could step out and shoot. But nobody knows if he'll be cleared. So look for UAB transfer point guard Chance Westry to be a guy who pops in Cincy this season. Westry will be the tallest point in the conference and team up with Miami transfer Tru Washington. Fransfer forward Mike Nwoko cuts a frame that reflects Pitino's clear philosophy from the offseason: he wanted to get tall. Talent-wise, we'll see, but Xavier won't be bullied around.
8. Georgetown
Year 4 under Ed Cooley brings a serious standards check to D.C. If there's one coach conceivably on the hot seat in this league going into the season, it's Cooley. The Hoyas have averaged 14 wins since he took over, which isn't remotely good enough. Cooley took a chance (and a much bigger paycheck) to leave Providence and alienate himself to that hometown fan base in order to try and resurrect Georgetown. This season feels consequential. The Hoyas bring back forward Caleb Williams (8.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and likely reserve guard Kayvaun Mulready, but otherwise there's a lot of wait-and-see. The biggest question is Vince Iwuchukwu's eligibility. The center is trying to get a fifth year, but his chances are foggy.
Inbound talents include: Chol Machot (Charleston), Elmarko Jackson (Kansas) and Jaland Lowe (Kentucky), all three of whom will guarantee Georgetown is better than eighth in the conference if they max out their potential. Vyctorius Miller (Oklahoma State) is the other piece, and a likely starter, who will be a factor. If Iwuchukwu winds up playing and this team stays healthy, you can squint and see an outcome that has Georgetown in the top five at the end-of-year standings.
9. DePaul
The Blue Demons have made genuine strides in two years under Chris Holtmann, going from 304th at KenPom at the end of the Tony Stubblefield era to 122nd in Holtmann's first year and 99th in 2025-26. Look for DePaul to nudge up again nationally, even if we've collectively slotted them ninth. The most valuable player is probably senior guard Layden Blocker (11.1 points and 3.5 assists last season), but Magoon Gwath's move from SDSU to Chicago could be one of the most consequential transfers in the Big East. Gwath battled injuries last season, but was the Mountain West's best defender in 2024-25. He might be a top-two defensive big in this conference over the next five months. Toss in Tulsa transfer Ade Popoola (41.2 3-pt%) and UTRGV wing Koree Cotton (40.3%) and the Demons should have some solid balance. Holtmann scheduled up a bit, which should give us real indicators by December if this team can contend for the NCAAs.
10. Seton Hall
Shaheen Holloway had the lowest budget of any Big East school this offseason, so the challenge is steep yet again. The Hall brings in 13 new faces, including nine portal pickups, after finishing 21-12. Keep in mind, SHU was the preseason pick in October 2025 to be the conference's worst team; Holloway wound up winning Big East Coach of the Year. Sophomore guard Trey Parker is the only carryover from last season. Roddie Anderson III, who put up 11 points per game at Xavier, should see the floor a ton, as will Simeon Wilcher. The former high-end prospect has bounced from St. John's to Texas to SHU. Is this the year he pops? Another guy we're intrigued about is Terry Copeland Jr., who is a 6-9, 270-pound big who ranked as the best JUCO player in the country last season. If he translates to D-I, it'll be huge for Seton Hall's physical viability, which is of course Holloway's calling card.
11. Butler
The last of the three schools with new coaches in the league. BU alum Ronald Nored is now in charge after a decade working in the NBA and G League. The 36-year-old was the point guard for those Bulldog teams that made back-to-back national title games in 2010 and '11. Now Nored is tasked with lifting Butler back into the rotation of being a top-six program in the conference, an assignment that may take a few years to materialize. Nored was able to keep point guard Jalen Jackson and center Drayton Jones, which is a nice starting point, but this is a big build mostly from scratch.
Two inbound transfers who will be asked to contribute in a big way are Jordan Ellerbee (13.1 ppg at FGCU) and Treyson Anderson (10.4 ppg at North Dakota State). Butler is the popular pick to finish in the Big East basement, but typically the team forecasted last in October doesn't wind up as the No. 11 seed when the Big East Tournament is played in March.
Big East expert picks
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